The Philippine Army (PA) will look at possible gaps in its recruitment and training processes after a shooting at Camp Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro killed five soldiers.
Army spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad told dzBB radio on Sunday the PA Board of Inquiry (BOI) would conduct an internal probe to determine what triggered the shooting.
He said the Army also wants to improve its recruitment process to avoid a repeat of the shooting.
“We really want to determine what happened in this case, what really triggered that incident, and what are the gaps in our recruitment and training process,” he said.
“We are looking at the aspect of how the new privates and all the recruits undergo examination and screening, including their entire medical and screening, and physical [exam]. We will also look at their training to see how we can improve their resilience,” Trinidad added.
On Saturday, a soldier attacked and opened fire on his fellow servicemen who were asleep in their room at the Service Center Battalion Headquarters in Camp Evangelista. The suspect was among the five soldiers killed, and another soldier was injured.
“This soldier was a private. He suddenly shot the sleeping soldiers.
Two of his comrades, both privates, tried to subdue him. During that event, the suspect was also killed,” Trinidad explained.
He said families of the killed soldiers were already informed of the incident.